The Black Girl Podcast -- Why You Should Take A Listen
What do you get when you get five hilariously funny black girls who all share Hot 97 work experience in a room with five different personalities, and five different life experiences? You get the Black Girl Podcast.
The Black Girl Podcast is a new audio series available for download on iTunes and was created by Scottie Beam (Digital producer for Ebro In The Morning), Gia Peppers (entertainment journalist/on-air host), Sapphira Martin (Chief curator at SassBoxx), Bex (Video production coordinator at Hot 97), and Alysha P. (Hot 97 video producer) who all met while crossing paths in the hallways of Hot 97.
The ladies just so happened to be discussing relationships in the lobby of the station one day when, Program Director and morning show host, Ebro Darden passed by and decided to Snapchat a video that said, "This is what it looks like to be in a room full of black women. This should be a black girl podcast."
A light bulb went off and the five ambitious women stepped into the studio for their first show shortly afterwards. Each week, subscribers can expect conversation topics that include everything from the presidency and heartbreak to goal-setting and whether or not Beyonce's Lemonade was really a good album.
With only a few episodes and a new president stepping into the office, we need the black girl podcast to win for the culture for a list of reasons:
To Remind Us To Follow Our Dreams
One of the podcast's hosts proudly announced that she was quitting her job to jump into full-time entrepreneurship. Some of the ladies celebrated, while others paused because they realized that this would mean that their five person crew would no longer be a five person crew. The response was a classic black girl response, but it also reminded us that sometimes you have to follow your dreams even if that means leaving your comfort zone and friends behind.
"It's about having balance...It's about knowing who to call and what friend to go to for certain advice. You have to realize it's about the journey, and (in) five years you are going to look back and say, 'I'm so happy it went like that.'"
- Alysha P.
To Encourage Us
In episode two, our new favorite podcast hosts delved into the question of if it is okay to share your dreams with others. While the opinion was split half and half, Gia Peppers response empowered us all by reminding us that if we don't share our dreams with others how will we ever be able to find people who can help us?
Church!!
To Remind Us of Why We're Magical
Listening to one episode of the Black Girl Podcast will probably have you laughing hysterically and also have you wondering which hosts closely align with you and your friends. While each woman represents a very distinct personality, the way the girls mesh together so effortlessly reminds us why black girls are so magical.
"We are here to dispel the stereotypes of what a black girl or black woman is. There are a lot of stereotypes but then there are also these great moments when people come together and we support each other. Black women need to support each other, be uplifting, and have intelligent conversations, so HERE WE ARE!"
- Gia Peppers
To Uplift Us
We have all gone through that moment in life where we have reflected on our life experiences and realized we are nowhere close to the place we had envisioned we would be by now. While coming to this realization can be depressing, the black girl podcast crew reminded us in episode one that we are exactly where we need to be and that we need to stop comparing our lives with someone else's highlight reel.
To Show Us The REAL Journey to Success
The thing that I loved most about the Black Girl Podcast is that prior to listening, I, like many others, felt each woman on the podcast had “arrived" in their careers when based on their discussion, they are just touching the tip of iceberg. Which reminds us all that everyone has a journey and success is never handed to you, it is earned.
Wishing much success to these five young ladies!
Never miss an episode by subscribing to the Black Girl Podcast on iTunes, Soundcloud or follow the girls on Instagram: Black Girl Pod
Have you had the chance to listen to the black girl podcast? Leave your comments below.
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ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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How A Stay At Switzerland's Luxurious 7132 Hotel Reminded Me To Live The Life I Deserve
Sometimes, as women—especially as single Black women—we simply need to be reminded that we are deserving of living a life we dream of. Even if that means creating it for ourselves. I recently set out on a weeklong trip to Switzerland, a trip I’ve been wanting to take for years, and near the end of my visit, I had an epiphany.
“DeAnna, this is the life you deserve,” I thought to myself as I took in the gorgeous bathroom in my suite at the famous 7132 Hotel and Thermal Spa. It was one of the most luxurious hotels (and bathrooms) I had ever stayed in—and that’s saying a lot for someone who often travels for work.
To help you better understand why this was such a mental awakening for me, I first need to give a bit of my backstory. I’m in my late thirties. I’m an attorneyand a journalist. I own a home and have traveled the world extensively. Essentially, I’ve done everything in life I set out to do. However, when it comes to dating, I struggle. Not because there is anything wrong with me per se, but because my career and “lifestyle” often create problems in my romantic relationships.
View from my hotel room
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I’ve been told everything from, ‘I can’t continue to date you because you seem to choose your career over wanting to settle down and have kids’ by a man after only the second date to ‘Maybe if you just sat down somewhere for a while, I’d actually wife you’ by someone who has honestly never proven themselves to be the settle down type. And these are only a handful of the things I’ve been told over the years.
It’s been frustrating, to say the least, and there have even been seasons where I purposely dimmed my light in hopes that my career wouldn’t push away potential suitors. I know what you’re thinking, “Girl, why would you even consider that? If they’re for you, it won’t matter what you do.” Hey, don’t judge me, but also, I one hundred percent agree.
My hotel bathroom
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That’s why this recent moment in Switzerland was right on time. When I first walked into the hotel to check in, I was blown away by the surrounding beauty. It was a five-star property with one of the world’s most famous thermal bathhouses. Yet, it was something about seeing that 90% of the hotel’s guests were couples, that forced me to sit back for a bit of introspection—while soaking in the thermal spa, of course.
As I went through the mental conversation, there was a battle of sorts. On one hand, I knew that being able to partake in experiences like the one I was having at that moment was important to me. I knew that, at times I actually love being able to dabble in the finer things—after all, I’ve worked hard to be able to afford them. On the other hand, and sadly, I knew that sometimes being a single Black woman that publicly showcases her “luxurious” habits can intimidate men and even scare them off from pursuing you under the guise of them feeling like they “can’t do anything for you, because you have everything.”
My hotel room
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So, what is a girl to do?
Do I minimize/hide the life and experiences that I have? Do I play down the hard work I’ve put in to get where I am professionally? Or, do I risk being single in exchange for being able to have said life, without backlash?
Luckily, the joy that I felt while being at this property won. There was something about taking a full day to simply pamper myself at the bathhouse and in my in-room steam shower and soaker tub, indulging in cuisine from a 2-star Michelin restaurant and doing all of this while surrounded by an amazing group of Black women that reminded me—this is certainly the life I was meant to live and that I deserve. Even if it means that right now, I’ll just have to provide it for myself until the right partner comes along. And honestly, I’m okay with that.
Restaurant at 7132 hotel
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